What Faith Isn't: (Or So The Bible Says)

One of the most important lessons I have learned since leaving the word of faith movement is this; verses strung together from The Bible do not automatically qualify a teaching as biblical. We’re told in the book of Job, 3 “Doesn’t the ear test words as the palate tastes food?” (Job 34:3). The Apostle John tells us, 1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1^st John 4:1). Luke records Paul’s words to the elders in Ephesus, where the Apostle says, 28-31 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.” (Acts 20:28-31).

Not least of all, we have the words of The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who said, 15 “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.” & 16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.” (Matthew 7:15 & Matthew 10:16). These verses are just a few examples of the warnings that we are constantly given throughout Scripture concerning the diligence we are exhorted to employ in the pursuit of truth & doctrinal purity. Without these biblical parameters, we will quickly run into trouble & often into things much worse.

¹ “There were indeed false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved ways, and the way of truth will be maligned because of them. ³ They will exploit you in their greed with made-up stories. Their condemnation, pronounced long ago, is not idle, and their destruction does not sleep.” (2^nd Peter 2:1-3).

Are truth & doctrinal purity the aims of the word of faith movement? Leaders may say that it is, but I see no evidence in support of that. Is the propagation of The Gospel the objective of the word of faith movement? Followers may say that it is, but I see no evidence in support of that either. Does the word of faith movement exist to perpetuate itself, enrich its leaders & swell its numbers? Leaders & followers alike will sing out a resounding no, but I have to say yes, based on biblical evidence, personal experience & current observation.

The word of faith mindset is dissident. Although the entire movement itself cannot be accurately identified as an independent cult, it certainly bears similar psychological & emotional tendencies. These inclinations have permeated ministries, churches & even whole denominations. It happily drifts beyond accepted orthodoxy & turns into what I’ve come to describe as Christianity plus. These things will be packaged as new perspectives or variations on themes. This is what has happened to our simple, innocent, childlike trust in God. It was pumped full of metaphysical steroids & it has morphed into a creature that is unrecognizable as the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude v 3).

Why don’t we revisit Hebrews 11 to find out, if nothing else, what faith isn’t. Is it a creative force, used by God? Is it a spiritual principle to be adhered to for guaranteed success? Is it an ethereal power released by words that are believed in the heart? Let’s look.

I always recommend that folk read the first ten chapters of the book of Hebrews before they dive into chapter eleven. The writer is speaking to a group of people who were considering going back under the law. Given the content & subject matter, some of the recipients of this epistle may even have been priests who had become disciples. However, this particular point is solely a matter of my own personal opinion. Luke tells us, 7 “So the word of God spread, the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly in number, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:7).

“The author states it repeatedly. He urges the Jewish Christians to hold fast the confession which they have made in Jesus as Messiah and Savior. Their Jewish neighbors have urged them to give up Christ and Christianity and to come back to Judaism. The Judaizers tried to make Jews out of Gentile Christians and to fasten Judaism upon Christianity with a purely sacramental type of religion as the result. Paul won freedom for evangelical and spiritual Christianity against the Judaizers as shown in the Corinthian Epistles, Galatians, and Romans. The Gnostics in subtle fashion tried to dilute Christianity with their philosophy and esoteric mysteries and here again Paul won his fight for the supremacy of Christ over all these.. But in Hebrews the author is battling to stop a stampede from Christ back to Judaism, a revolt (apostasy) in truth from the living God. These Jews argued that the prophets were superior to Jesus, the law [that] came by the ministry of angels [&] Moses was greater than Jesus, and Aaron than Jesus. The author turns the argument on the Jews and boldly champions the Glory of Jesus as superior at every point to all that Judaism had, as God's Son and man's Savior, the crown and glory of the Old Testament prophecy, the hope of mankind. It is the first great apologetic for Christianity and has never been surpassed.”

The Epistle to The Hebrews, Word Pictures in The New Testament by A. T. Robertson A.M., D.D., LL.D., Litt.D.

^32-39 “Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions, and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way. For you sympathized with the prisoners and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, because you know that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession. So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while,

the Coming One will come and not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him. But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:32-39).

¹ “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1).

In chapters one to ten, the author details the superiority of The Lord Jesus Christ to the prophets; to angels; to Moses; to the sacrificial system; to the sabbath; to the priesthood. These things had been foregone by the Hebrews in order to embrace Christ as Messiah.

They had been warned 28-30 “Anyone who disregarded the law of Moses died without mercy, based on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment do you think one will deserve who has trampled on the Son of God, who has regarded as profane the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know the one who has said, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, and again, The Lord will judge his people.” (Hebrews 10:28-30). With these truths in view, the writer goes on into what we call chapter eleven.

Please forgive me for unceremoniously bursting the first of several bubbles here, but I have to tell you that Hebrews 11:1 is not a definition or explanation of the nature of faith as a law or as a force. It is a declaration. It is a summary of what these believers had done in accepting Jesus as their Messiah, just as others had before & would in future. Faith is the substance or underpinning of hope. Faith is not a mystical superpower that gives materiality to our hoped for desires in order to bring them to fruition.

The writer of the epistle frames the things hoped for quite clearly. 5-6 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future. But Christ was faithful as a Son over his household. And we are that household if we hold on to our confidence and the hope in which we boast.” (Hebrews 3:5-6). & 11 “Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end,” (Hebrews 6:11).

^18-19 “so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.” (Hebrews 6:18-19).

¹⁹ “(for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7:19).

Prominent word of faith teachers have opted to use a secular definition of the words substance & evidence, instead of simply allowing the text to do what it does best, all by itself. They will emphasize the words substance of things & evidence of things, which interrupts the continuity of the narrative & turns it in another direction altogether. Faith is therefore connected to things. Material things. Ethereal things. Things just beyond the grasp such as healing or prosperity. The law or force of faith draws these things to you & brings them into possession. Hope, we are told, is future tense. It is like a dream because it is immaterial. It has no substance. Faith, it is said, is present tense. Faith is now. It takes the inconsequential quality of hope & makes it substantive, bringing it into reality. This is not what the text is saying at all. The writer is driving home the truth that these believers have placed their faith in Christ & that their faith underpins, supports & platforms the hope that is within them (1^st Peter 3:15).

Remember the words of Paul to the Romans, 24-25 “Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:24-25). Faith is the basis & conviction of our hope. It is not a metaphysical law or force that was used by God, or can be used by anybody else. The Lord inspired this epistle to canonize the finished work of Christ, His cross & their dominance over all that had gone before.

The greatest danger that I can see is this; word of faith teaching seeks to establish who the believer is & what they can do, rather than substantiate Who The Lord Jesus Christ is & what He has done. It is all about Him; it is not about us. the sooner we realize this, the better.

² “For by this our ancestors were approved.” (Hebrews 11:2).

It strikes me that few have stopped to ask which elders the writer is referring to here. This is partly because the word of faith devotee is usually swept away to verses in the book of Numbers, which state, 32-33 “So they gave a negative report to the Israelites about the land they had scouted: The land we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great size. We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim! To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them.” (Numbers 13:32-33). There you have it. An evil report is the opposite of a good report. These people had a poor image of themselves & that is why their report was evil. It was not a confession of faith. However, this is a leap of logic & what we have said about that; just because an argument is logically sound does not necessarily mean that it’s Theo-logically sound. It isn’t enough for a teaching to make sense. It has to be true. It has to be so (Acts 17:11). Herein lies the rub.

The good report that is spoken of in Hebrews 11 is not solely to do with those who went & spied out the land of Canaan. Read the rest of the chapter & you will see this. Instead, it is a commendation that The Lord gave to those who believed in Him. They obtained a good report. The same commendation these Hebrew believers would receive. 39-40 “All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.” (Hebrews 11:39-40).

The writer is not making a statement about the power of the force or law of faith. There is no such thing. Instead, it is an encouragement to remain faithful just as God has been faithful. The good report they obtained from The Lord was a Divine attestation. We will come to see the importance of this.

³ “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.” (Hebrews 11:3).

This verse has been the subject of much wrangling. It has been suggested that this is proof positive that God created the universe by using His faith; the God kind of faith. This is not so & by paying attention to what is actually said in the text, we will skillfully avoid a series of serious errors.

The Bible does not say that the worlds were framed by faith. Remember how the writer began this epistle, with the words 1-3 “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:1-3). Hold on, we’re not done. The writer of Hebrews continues speaking of Christ, quoting The Psalms & Isaiah, saying, 10-12 “And: In the beginning, Lord, you established the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands; they will perish, but you remain. They will all wear out like clothing; you will roll them up like a cloak, and they will be changed like clothing. But you are the same, and your years will never end.” (Hebrews 1:10-12).

^1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.” (John 1:1-3).

^16-17 “For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17).

Christ as The Father’s agent in creation, as His Word in the mouths of the prophets who foretold His coming. Faith in Christ as The Governor & Divine sustainer of all in the created order. This is The Messiah the Hebrews had come to trust & believe in. The undisputed, undefeated, heavyweight King of Kings & Lord of Lords. The Alpha & Omega. The Beginning & the end.

^3-7 “Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days scoffing and following their own evil desires, saying, “Where is his ‘coming’ that he promised? Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.” They deliberately overlook this: By the word of God the heavens came into being long ago and the earth was brought about from water and through water. Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded. By the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (2^nd Peter 3:3-7).

Put to bed, the ridiculous notion that our eternal omniscient God needed faith. He is almighty. His agent in creation was His Word & that Word is Jesus Christ, King & Messiah. That is what the Hebrews & we by extension understand by faith. Scripture shows us this conclusively. God did not use a confession of His God kind of faith to speak creation into existence & there is no way that our tiny minds can possibly comprehend The Godhead at work in the formation of the universe we are still endeavoring to explore. Let’s stick to what The Bible says & avoid what it does not. Faith is not a law. Faith is not a force. Faith is our response.

⁴ “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.” (Hebrews 11:4).

The Genesis narrative tells us [that] 3-5 “In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.” (Genesis 4:3-5).

Cain brought a meal offering & Abel brought an animal offering. Notice this; The Lord had respect to Abel as well as his offering, not just the animal sacrifice he brought. The text continues, 6-7 “Then the LORD said to Cain, Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6-7). It was not just the offerings these men brought before The Lord; it was also their lives lived before Him.

Far from showing Abel wielding the awesome power of the God Kind of faith, or enhancing a spiritual law, Scripture is demonstrating that Abel’s life was attested to By God Himself. He obtained witness that he was righteous. His brother planted produce & wasn’t necessarily there continually tending to what he had deposited. However, Abel would have been with his flocks constantly (Proverbs 27:23). Cain murdered his brother in what I can only imagine was a fit of Jealous rage (Matthew 5:22) & Abel’s blood cried out to God from the ground that it was seeping into (Genesis 4:10). The blood speaks. Jesus testified of him, calling him & his innocent blood righteous (Matthew 23:25). Yet, in the presence of God, the Holy & Precious Blood of The Lord Jesus Christ speaks for all who believe in Him (Hebrews 12:24). The writer of this epistle is encouraging the Hebrew believers to remain faithful to Him who had called them, obtain the witness of God & have their gifts attested to because they please Him.

^5-6 “By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God. Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:5-6). 

I’m reminded of the words of Jesus, Who said, 62 “But Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62). The Hebrews were in danger of this. If they abandoned their faith, cast away their confidence & drew back, they would not please God. The elders pleased Him & He testified to that. His creation pleased Him because He said that it was good & His Word, Who is Christ pleased Him & he attested to that also (Matthew 3:17). Abel pleased Him & He bore witness to this. The Hebrews are being encouraged to do the same, by faith. So now we come to Enoch. His walk with God was a walk of faith. The text isn’t saying that Enoch was somehow so proficient in his use of faith that he simply crossed over into the next life. 24 “Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him.” (Genesis 5:24). There is something more theological here. Remember the writer’s admonition in the previous chapter. 37 “For yet in a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.” (Hebrews 10:37). The faithful Hebrews & all believers by extension, can look forward to being caught away, as Enoch was in a type, when Christ returns. Enoch pleased Him. He had that testimony before God took him. The writer reproved the Hebrews to do the same. Faith is not a force. Faith is not a law. Faith is a lifestyle.

From the series: Have Faith in God, by, David Samuel Parkins.

Originally posted: February 22nd, 2025.

You can follow David on his blog: The Discernment Quarterly

All Scriptures taken from the CSB unless otherwise noted.